Can opener and dispenser



June 8, 1937. c. VITEK 2,082,922

CAN OPENER AND DISPENSER F iled Maroh 9, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 8,1937. Q TEK 2,082,922

CAN OPENER AND DISPENSER Fil ed March 9, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 mum,

June 8, 1937. c. Vl TEK CAN OPENER AND DISPENSER Filed Marbh 9, 193a 5 Sheets-Sheet :s

Patented June 8, 1937 sr'rss OFFICE 16 Claims.

This invention relates generally to can openers and dispensers and for purposes of illustrating and describing one form of the invention, it is herein shown and described as applied to a manually operated device for opening and dispensing the contents of metal cans or containers of fluids, such as for instance, now commonly used for lubricating oils.

Various can opening and dispensing devices have heretofore been made which open one end or a portion thereof to permit discharge of the contents; however, in the present invention, opposite portions or preferably the ends of the can are opened simultaneously by a novel device affording numerous advantages not attainable by devices now in common use.

Generally stated, some of the new advantages, features and objects present in, or resulting from the use of the invention herein disclosed are as follows:

The container or can is simultaneously opened at opposite portions or ends thereof;

The structural strength of the can is substantially destroyed, or so weakened, that it can;

readily be collapsed by side pressure into a substantially flattened form so that it occupies a minimum of storage spacebefore final disposal at convenient intervals;

The content of the can is not only substantially w completely, but comparatively quickly, discharged due to the position of the can and the simultaneous opening operation of both ends thereof by novel cutting means;

Ihe cutting operation in the ends of the can is such that these ends are so destroyed that it is not practically possible to thereafter mend or reconstruct same to permit refilling and reuse by those who might attempt refilling of same with other or inferior quality products; m While the ends of the can are substantially cut in multiple number of sections to afford collapsing of the can by side pressure in the hands of the operator or substantially complete flattening by pressure of the foot of the operator, the'value of the advertising on the side of the destroyed can is still however preserved for an indefinite time until its final disposal;

The device as herein disclosed is arranged for stationary mounting upon a suitable sup-port or for portable use; and

Cylindrical cans of several different diameters and different heights may be operated upon by the machine. At the present time many automobile lubricating oils are sold in one quart and 5 five quart cans and the device shown in the attached drawings is adapted for operation on either of these sizes of cans and obviously could be arranged for operation on containers of other shapes or sizes by modification without departing from the spiritof my invention.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a can opener adapted to simultaneously cut opposite portions or ends of the can and then bend the free ends of such cut portions or ends inwardly of the can.

Another object of the invention is found in a novel cutter adapted to cut an end of a cylindrical can into a plurality of segmental sections and to bend and turn the free portions of such sections inwardly of the can.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a pair of relatively movable cutters adapted to simultaneously engage and cut opposite ends of a can into a plurality of segmental sections and bend the free ends of such sections inwardly of the can.

Still another object of the invention is found in the provision of a pair of cutters arranged to simultaneously cut both ends of a cylindrical can with a plurality of radially disposed cuts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can opening device with a pair of cutters for simultaneously cutting opposite ends of a can to permit discharge of its contents; the cutters being so arranged and mounted on the device that one is stationary and the other relatively movable toward and from the other cutter.

A still further object of the invention is found in the provision of a can opener having a cutter including a pair of triangular intersecting blades arranged to form a common apex and each blade having two sides formed with cutting edges; the pointed apex of the cutter being adapted to be inserted in the center of the end of a cylindrical can to pierce and progressively out such can end with a plurality of radial cuts extending from the center of the can end to the sides of the can. If so desired, such cutter may be provided with means, as for instance, constituting a frame or lugs at the inner cutting portion of the blades, which means is adapted to bend portions of the radial cuts inwardly of the can.

A still further object of the invention resides in a can opening and dispensing device having a pair of relatively movable cutters adapted to simultaneously cut the opposite ends of a cylindrical can into a plurality of segemental sections with a plurality of blades on each cutter; the blades on one cutter being disposed in plane alignment longitudinally of the can with the blades on the other cutter.

With the above and other objects in view, my

invention consists in the novel. combination,con- *struction and arrangement of the parts and memline 47-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged part cross-section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; 7

. Fig. 6 is'a perspective view of one end of a cylindrical metal can as opened in accordance with my invention;

'Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the can end shown in partially collapsedform;

. Fig. 8 is a still further enlarged vertical section taken on line 3-8 of Fig. 5;

Figs. 9 and 10 are detailed enlarged vertical sections taken on respectively lines 99 and Ill-l0 of Fig. 5;

Figs. 11 and 12 are perspective views of blade portions of one of my improved cutters; and

' Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one of the frames or collars or blade retainers forming a part of one of the cutters.

As illustrated in the attached drawings, the device includes a pair of cylindrical cup-like cast members l5 and I6 rigidly connected together by a plurality of, preferably four equally spaced, channels I! welded, or otherwise secured, to the inner sides of the cupped members I 5 and l 6.

The members I 5 and l tare respectively formed with integral extended supporting connections IS and IS disposed between a pair of spaced vertical supporting angles I8 and secured thereto by bolts l9.

The support for the device constituting the angles 5 is adapted to be mounted in stationary position on a wall or other support by means of bolts which may be inserted in the spaced holes l8 provided in one leg of each of these angles.

In the event it is desired to make portable use of the device the angles I8 may have attached to them, at their lower ends by means of bolts 2|, a pair ,of angularly disposed legs 20 of channel section supported on caster rollers 22, and a pair of similar channel legs 23 also having rollers 22 and being spread to form with the'legs 20 a four point support, may be attached to the outer side of the lower member l6 by bolts 24. A lateral stabilizing bar or brace 25 may be welded to the supporting legs 20 and 23. The upper member I5 is formed with a housing 7 I5 for a pinion 26 which is keyed to shaft 21 rotatably supported on such housing and pro- Vided at one'endwith an operating crank 28.

numerals 32 and 34.

Thepinion 26 is arranged to mesh with a vertically'reciprocable rack 29 which is slidably supported at its'upper portion within the tubular housing 30 screw mounted to the top of housing l5 The lower end of rack 29 is weldedor otherwise secured to the base member 3| of the upper one of the two cutters generally indicated by Since many of the oil refineries are at the present time furnishing lubricating. oil in one quart and five quart cans, the invention is illustrated in the drawings as applied to a device designed to handle either one of such cans.

As shown in Fig. 3 the base 3| of the upper or movable cutter 32 is substantially of hexagon shape having corner extensions 3| of general rectangular form extended for guiding purposes within the four vertical channels I1.

The lower cutter 34 is stationary.

Since the blades of the upper and lower cutters 32-and 34 are identical, I will proceed to describe one set of such blades 33 as shown in detached views in Figs. 11 and 12. The blades 33 are made from steel plate of general triangular form and the two companion blades are so arranged or interposed by relative right-angular mounting as toconstitute a four-blade pointed cutter.

' 7 Each blade is'provided with a pair of sharpened cutting edges divided by a V-shaped cut or recess into upper and lower cutting sections respectively 33 and 33 the lower end of each upper cutting section constituting a curved cutting edge portion 353 terminating substantially in a vertical cut and the upper end of each lower cutting section constituting a curved cutting edge portion 33 terminating substantially in a horizontal cut so that the vertical and horizontal cuts form together a substantially right-angular V-shaped notch or recess adapted to receive therein the right-angularly formed frame or collar 35 comprising a fiat bar of rectangular cross-section.

The opposite ends of each blade are formed with right-angularly cut notches or recesses 33 adapted to interfit the blades for support between the corners and on faces of the four right-angularly formed lugs 36 and 31 cast integrally respectively with the base 3| of the upper cutter and on the inner face of the base of the lower cylindrical member IE5.

As shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 8, the blades 33 are interfitted and interlocked together to form a pointed cutter having four right-angularly disposed cutting edges; in other words, the two blades 33 are halved together by means of slots 33 of a width substantially blade thickness. In one of the blades the slot 33 extends downwardly from the apex to a point one-half the height of the blade and in the other blade the slot 33 extends upwardly from the base of the blade for a distance-0f one-half of the height of the blade.

While the blades 33 are halved together and interfitted within and on the lugs 35 and 3'! they are further held or retained against relative displacement and from displacement from their support by the right-angular or square frames 35 engaging within the V-shaped recess of each blade, and each frame 35 is provided with a pair of angularly bent connection bars 38 having a vertical portion riveted to the frame and a lateral portion adapted to be screw-connected respectively to the base 3! of the upper movable cutter and to the lugs 39 cast on the inside of the base of the member I6.

Thus the frames 35 retain the bladesr33 in relative laterally aligned position and against displacement from their respective supports, and

due to the screw connection, the frames may be easily removed to permit withdrawal of [the blades for re-sharpening.

The frames 35 and the lugs 36 and 3'! perform another and very important function which is that of abutments for imparting to the cut end portions of the can the final bending movement as will be more clearly set out in the description of the operation of the device; however, it may now be noted that the opposing ends of the two frames are slightly beveled and formed with curved outer corner edges as indicated by 35 in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, and likewise, that the outer corner edges of the lugs 36 and 31 are curved or rounded, thus facilitating the entry of such frames and lugs into and within the cut ends of the can.

As above stated, the device herein shown and described is adapted for operation on two sizes of cans; the smaller can is shownby full lines in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10, and also indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 8, whereas the larger can is shown in full lines in Fig. 8 and indicated by dot and dash lines in Figs. 3 and 5.

Referring again to the cutters, it will be observed that I have provided a pair of oppositely disposed and relatively movable cutters having cutting instrumentalities or blades adapted to engage opposite sides or ends of a container and to forcibly and simultaneously puncture and cut such opposite ends with a pair of relatively rightangularly cross .cuts extending across the full width of the ends of the container to thereby out such ends into substantially four triangular flap portions.

I prefer to use two right-angularly disposed blades providing substantially four relatively right-angular cuts extending radially from the center of the end of the container instead of a triangular cutter adapted for cutting the con- I tainer end with an odd number of cuts since the structural end of the container cut so as to provide a triangular opening with three bent flaps would not be sufficiently weakened to permit the container to be easily collapsed by side pressure due to the resistance of such triangular cut. r

It is readily apparent in Figs. '6 and 7, that the four sided opening having oppositely aligned cuts permits the container to be easily collapsed to the form shown in Fig. 7, and that even such form can, if so desired, be readily, reduced to a flattened shape by. additionally applied side pressure. I

Referring to the cutters 32 and 34,.it will be noted that the blades 33 of the upper movable cutter 32 are vertically aligned with the .blades 33 of the stationary lower cutter 34 so that the aligned cuts in the opposite ends of the can permit it to be easily collapsed.

To facilitate the alignment or positioning of a can in proper relation to the pointed ends of the cutters 32 and 34, I provide for the smaller can indicated by numeral in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, a

pivotally mounted centering guide which consists of a pair of spaced bent side plates 4! pivotally mounted on bolt 42 between the angles l8 and having a channel-shaped stiffener 43 having flanges aligned with the long vertical sides 4H; said stiffener flanges and sides 4 I being so spaced and aligned as to form a pair of vertical edges against which the smallcan 49 may readily be held in proper centered alignmentwith the cutters 32 and 34, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, pre liminary to the downward movement of the upper cutter 32, that is, until thecutters have pierced the can ends sufficiently to retain same therebetween. i r 1 r I The operating position of the centering guide is shown by full lines in Figs. 4 and 5 and when in such position the bottom edgesof the side plates 4| are held to rest on the upper edge or rim of member 16 by means of a spring 44 stretched between pin 45 mounted in angles i8 and pin 43 mounted between the plates 4! and having an enlarged handle portion 46 When the larger can, indicated by numeral 41, is to be operated upon, the centering guide is movable, by handle 43 upwardly about its pivot 42 into the position shown by dot and dash lines in Fig. 4 to clear the sides of such larger can and the spring 44 will retain the centering guide in raised position as in both raised or lowered positions of the centering guide, the longitudinal center-line of the spring 44 passes to one or the other side of the center of the pivot 42 thus tending to retain the centering device in either position. In raised position the shorter or rear ends of the plates 4| rest against the pin 45.

When the centering device 4! is raised, the edges of the flanges of the spaced channels ll become spaced guides adapted for engagement by the side of the larger can 47 to properly center or align its ends with respect to the cutters 32 and 34. (See Figs. 3 and 5.)

The member i6 is provided with an integral discharge spout i6 which is adapted to discharge the contents of the can into a dispenser, as for instance, the container 48 which is adapted to be supported on the removable screen 39 of the drip pan 50 which is supported on an angleiron bracket 5| of U-shape form having flanges 5M and SI engaging respectively the sides and edges of the supporting frame angles l8. The bracket 5! is supported on a pin 52 which is insertable into any of the spaced holes I3 for adjustably supporting the drip pan 5!] in relative position to the discharge spout IB In the operation of my device for illustration on the smaller size of standard can of lubricating oil as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, the cancentering guide 4| is moved to the position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5; the can 40 is placed by the operator to rest on the pointed end of the lower cutter 34 and with the side of the can 40 held against the vertical spaced edges M j the handle 28 1s rotated to operate shaft 21 and pinion 25 to thereby cause a downward movement of the rack 29 and upper cutter 32 into piercing engagement with the center of the top of the can 49.

Since the metal used in standard lubricating oil cans is comparatively soft, both of the ends of the can 40 will be practically pierced at the same time and at such initial piercing operation the position of the cutters 32 and 34 and the can 40 may appear as shown in Fig. 1.

After the initial piercing and cutting of the central portions of the can ends, the operator may, if he so then desires, release his hold on the can 40 and a continued revolution of the operating crank 28 will cause a downward movement of the upper cutter 32 while at the same time the stationary lower cutter 34 will act simultaneously with the upper cutter 32 to cut the ends of the can 40 by the right-angularly disposed blade portions 33 of the blades 33 of the cutters 32 and 34 and when the beaded ends of the can 40 are engaged by the sloping and curved edges. 35 of the frame 33 a continued turning of the crank 28 will cause such frames 35 to be forcibly brought within the ends of the can 43 to thereby forcibly bend the cut flap portions 40 of the can end into inwardly disposed positions as diagrammatically shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The diagonal outside dimension of the frame 35 is only very slightly greater than the diameter of the ends of can 40 between the beaded ends so that such final forcible projection of the frame into the can will cause not only a complete cutting of the can endsbut will compress and somewhat indent the bead as shown in Fig. 9, thereby weakening the can beads at such portions to permit the discharge of the contents and to so further weaken the structure of the can that it can easily be collapsed.

Of course, the operator may easily see when the final cutting operation has been completed, but observation is not necessary since the final slight additional force required on the handle 28 to project the frames 35 inwardly of the can may be felt by the operator; however, the device may be provided with one or more stop bolts 53 fixed at the proper 'point within the webs of channels I! for stopping engagement by the guiding extensions 3| of the base 3| of the upper cutter 32.

Due to the simultaneous piercing and cutting operation of both ends of the. vertically disposed vcan fill, the discharge of its contents is quickly effected into the member I6 and through its spout Iii into dispensing container 48.

7 on the larger of the cans now so commonly used for lubricating oils the action of the device and the shape of the cut portions of the can ends will be practically the same as above described for the smallercan and such larger can may be collapsed in like manner for disposal.

As above stated, the handle 46 of the small can centering device M is moved upwardly to displace the device 4| to the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4, to thereby permit the larger size can 41 to be centered by its support on the pointed end of the lower cutter and its side in engagement with the vertical edges of the channels I1.

The operation then of crank 28 will cause the previously raised upper cutter 32 to descend and simultaneously with the lower cutter 34 pierce and cut the ends of the can.

Due to the greater height of the larger can '41 the cutting operation will not cease when the corners of the frames 35 have engaged the can ends and obviously the stops 53 in such operation cannot be reached. When the corners of the frames 35 have been engaged by the ends of the can 41, there will take place a slight tearing action along the lines of the advanced out until the lower sections 33 of the blades 33 take up the cutting action which will proceed until the spaced lugs 36 and 31 respectively of the upper and lower cutters are forcibly projected into and within the sides of the can 41 to thereby finally forcibly bend the cut triangular segments of the ends of the can inwardly and at the same time cause an indentation of the beaded portions of the can to weaken its structure and likewise render such larger can susceptibleto collapsing.

The final opened position of one of the larger cans is shown in Fig. 8.

I have found from actual operation .of the device that blades having the aligned cutting edges 33* and 33 disposed on an angle of 45 degrees afford satisfactory cutting operation; however, this angle maybe varied.

' I claim: 3 1

1. In a device adapted to open and discharge a container and to weaken its structure, means for simultaneously cutting portions of the container body lying in different planes and bending the cut portions in each plane toward the portions'in the other plane, said means operating to out said body portions the full width in each of said planes.

2. In a device adapted to open and discharge a closed cylindrical container and to weaken its structure, including means for simultaneously cutting the opposite ends of the container into a plurality of sections with cuts extending across the face of said ends between peripheral portions thereof and bending portions of said sections.

3. In a device adapted to open and discharge a closed cylindrical container and to weaken its structure, including means for simultaneously cutting the opposite ends of the container into a plurality of sections with cuts extending across the face of said ends between peripheral portions thereof, and separate means on said cutting means for bending portions of said sections, the bent portions of each end of the container being bent oppositely to the bent portions of the other end of the container.

4. In a device adapted to open and discharge a closed cylindrical can and to thereby weaken its structure, including, means for simultaneously cutting the opposite ends of the can into a plurality of radially disposed sections, and means for bending portions of said sections inwardly of the can, the radial cuts in said ends extending from substantially the center of the can ends to the cylindrical wall thereof.

5. Ina device adapted to open a tubular container having closed ends, means for simultaneously cutting both ends of the container, said means including a pair of cutters each having a plurality of blades arranged to out said ends radially substantially from the center of the container ends to the side of the container.

6. In a device adapted to open opposite ends of a closed tubular metallic container including, a pair of relatively movable cutters adapted for simultaneously cutting both ends of the container, said cutters having a plurality of blades arranged to cut the'container ends into a plurality of segmental sections aligned longitudinally of the container, and means associated with said cutters for bending said segmental sections inwardly of the container.

'7. A container opener including, a pair of spaced members, a stationary cutter mounted on one of said members, a cutter movably supported on the other of said members, means for moving said movably supported cutter in a movement parallel to the axis of and toward said stationary cutter, guiding means adapted to guide the positioning of a container relatively to said cutters, power means for actuating said cutter-movingmeans to cause said cutters tosimultaneously cut opposite sections of the container into a plurality of separate parts and to permit the discharge of the contents thereof.

8. A container opener as embodied in claim 7, and including said cutters adapted to out each of said opposite sections into a plurality of portions with cuts extending radially from the center of such sections to the side wall of the container, and means associated with said cutters adapted to bend said out portions inwardly of the container. i

9. In a cutting device for opening an end of a cylindrical can, a cutterincluding a support, a pair of substantially isosceles triangle blades mounted on said support, said blades being arranged to intersect one another to form. a common apex, each blade having two sides formed with cutting edges, and separate rigid means mounted beyond the efiective ends of the blade cutting edges for bending the cut portions of the can end inwardly of the can after the cutting operation by the blades.

10. A cutting device for opening opposite ends of a cylindrical can including, a pair of relatively movable blade supports, a plurality of triangular blades mounted on each of said blade supports, the blades on each. support being arranged to form a common apex, each blade having two sides formed with cutting edges and the blades on one support being oppositely disposed to the blades on the other support, means disposed beyond the eifective ends of the cutting edges of the blades adapted for bending the cut portions of the can ends inwardly of the can after cutting operation by the blades, and means for causing a relative movement between said blade supports to thereby forcibly project said blades into opposite ends of the can whereby both ends of the can will be simultaneously pierced in substantially the center thereof and cut radially by said blades and then finally bent inwardly of the can by said means.

11. A cutting device as embodied in claim 10, and including the blades on one of said supports arranged in plane alignment with the blades on the other of said supports.

12. A cutting device for simultaneously opening opposite ends of a cylindrical can to discharge its contents, including, a pair of vertically spaced members, supporting means for carrying said members, the lower one of said members being adapted to receive the discharged contents of the can and to discharge same into a portable container, a support for said portable container adjustably mounted on said supporting means, a stationary cutter mounted on the lower one of said members, a reciprocable rod carried by the upper one of said members, a movable cutter, a base mounted on the lower end of said rod for supporting said movable cutter, each of said cutters comprising a pair of right-angularly disposed intersecting triangular blades having a common apex and each blade having two sides formed with cutting edges, the blades of one of said cutters being aligned vertically with and disposed oppositely to the blades of the other of said cutters, a square frame positioned on said blades of each cutter intermediate the endsof their cutting edges, rectangularly arranged lugs on said cutter base and on the lower one of said members arranged to confine said blades at their base portions, the diagonal width of said frames being substantially equal to the inside diameter of a smaller type of can and to the width} of blades at the cutting edges adjacent to the upper edge of the frames, the diagonal dimension between the outer face of the rectangularly arranged lugs being substantially equal to the inside diameter of a larger type of can and to the maximum cutting width of said blades, means for guiding the centering of the ends of the larger type of can relatively to the cutters, separate movable means for guiding the centering of the smaller type of can relatively to the cutters, and means for moving said rod and movable cutter toward said stationary cutter into simultaneous cutting operation of the ends of the can into segmental sections whereby in the cutting operation of the smaller type of can said frames will be forcibly introduced within the can ends to thereby cause a final bending of the greater portion of each of said segmental sections inwardly of the can, whereas in the cutting operation of the larger type of can said rectangularly arranged lugs will be forcibly introduced within the can ends to thereby cause a final bending of the greater portion of each of said segmental sections inwardly of the can.

13. A device for simultaneously opening both ends of a cylindrical can, including a pair of relatively movable cutters having blades thereon adapted to out both ends of the can with a plurality of cuts extending radially from the center of the can to substantially the side wall thereof.

14. In a device as embodied in claim 13 and including said cutters provided with separate rigid means for bending the cut sections or the can ends inwardly at their root portions.

15. In a device as embodied in claim 13 and including said cutters provided with separate rigid means for bending the cut sections of the can ends inwardly at their root portions, and means for guiding the centering of the can relatively to the cutters.

16. A can opening device, including, a pair of relatively movable cutters, each cutter having a plurality of blades having angularly disposed cutting edges terminating in a common apex and the blade cutting edges on one cutter being respectively aligned longitudinally of the can with the blade cutting edges on the other cutter, means for guidingxand centering of the can ends relatively to the cutters, means on said cutters adapted to bend the cut sections of the can ends inwardly at their root portions, and means for causing a relative movement of the cutters to thereby simultaneously cut and bend the sections of the can ends.

CHARLES VITEK. 

